forth and grow yea there will be the same minde that was in Christ Iesus Phil. 2. 2. The outward worke is to fashion the outward man vnto all conformitie with the Law of GOD in word and deed 1. For words As Christ whipt the buyers sellers out of the Temple Iohn 2. so his spirit driues away all swearing vnclean talke lying slandering c. out of the mouth of a regenerate man No man that hath the spirit of Christ can call Christ execrable 1. Cor. 12,3 Doest thou delight to speake of Christ and his Gospell with reuerence and holy affections A signe it is of the good spirit But disgracefull speeches of the Word and them which professe it lauish in oaths and filthie Lawlesse communication with ieasting which is not comely agreeth not with this spirit 2. And for Deeds As a Hare may be traced in a Snow to her forme so is it easie by your deeds to find out what Spirit is in you What spirit think you is in Idolaters Hypocrites swearers Sabboth-breakers in the malicious vncleane proud drunken couetous wretches In Lyers Slanderers c. The spirit of Christ It were blasphemy so to say Nay that vncleane spirit the Diuell who delighteth in such and effectually worketh in them Vse 3. The state of the Children of God is certaine whatsoeuer the Papists say to the contrary If I am Christs I shall be saued But if I haue the Spirit I am Christs Therefore c. True If Q. How shall you know you haue the Spirit A. How shall I know that I haue a Soule but by the effects of it vnderstanding memory c. So by the worke of Grace in my heart by my sincere loue of goodnesse and hatred of euill c. which I cannot be ignorant of being in me I know that I haue the Spirit 2. Cor. 13.5 Know you not faith the Scripture that Christ is in you by his Spirit except you be reprobates And againe Wee haue receiued the Spirit of God 1. Cor. 2.12 that wee might know the things which are giuen to vs of God What things All Spirituall grace present with perseuerance and all the good things of glorie to come Lyra. That wee might firmely and without doubt know for looke what a demonstration by causes is in humane things that in Diuine is the Reuelation of the spirit through Faith The end then why God giueth vs his spirit is to make vs know that we are in his fauour and shall be partakers of the glory to come and by consequence that we shall perseuere in grace without which the future glorie cannot be obtained But thou wilt say I feele Infidelity in mee which grieues me It 's well thou feelest it with Griefe this argues not the absence but rather the presence of the spirit For the spirit doth not make vs omnisciens and impeccable doth not beate downe sinne in vs at a blowe doth not kill corruption outright No. Corruption will be an Inmate with the spirit in this life doe what we can Yet such a man for all this hath the spirit and is spirituall If thou goe by a Noble-mans house thou knowest that there are horsekeepers skullions and such like yet if thou be asked who dwels there Thou sayest such a Noble man naming the Lord of the house and not these baser people So Corruption dwelleth where the spirit but gouernes not but is an vnderling and therefore we are in account spirituall VERSE 10. And if Christ be in you the bodie is dead because of sinne but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake NOw followes the other part of the Amplification which is Consolation which is double The 1. verse 10. that we are certaine of eternall life The 2. verse 11. that wee are certaine of the Resurrection of our bodies He brings in both by an Occupation against two grieuous Tentations the first in the 10. verse Thus You say that the spirit is in vs. Alasse what are we the better We are subiect to pouerty sicknesse death it selfe as well as others Vnto this Paul answeres first by a Concession The bodie is dead because of sinne Secondly by a Correction But the Spirit is life for Righteousnesse sake First of the Concession And if Christ be in you Before hee said the spirit of God and of Christ now Christ because Christ is in vs by the Spirit and Faith Not Corporally but Spiritually which manner of his presence is the best Ioh. 6.63 We need not plucke him down out of heauen by any Inchantment as the Papists into their sacrament of the Altar that we might partake of his vertue as not the Sunne to partake of his light The body Corruption or the vnregenerate part say some a Chrysoft Piscator But not so for when Paul cals corruption a Bodie it is with an Addition of Sinne or Sinnefull or Death Rom. 6.6 Col. 2.11 Rom. 7.24 Heere it is for the Masse of Flesh and Bloud the Naturall bodie b Aug. lib. 1. Ret. cap. 26. Is dead not is mortified but dead addicted to the Necessity of death which necessity it had not before sinne c Tho. Aqui. et ante eum Aug. loco modo citato But dead is more we dying euen from our birth death hauing made his seisure already because of sinne remaining doctrine Doct. Though Christ be in the Regenerate yet are they subiect to death Heb. 9 27. Rom. 5.12 Where sinne that is originall takes hold there death enters by sicknesse and other mortalities the forerunners and Parts d Mortes partiales Pererius in Gen. lib. 4. de Creat hom num 166. of Death though the Curse and sting bee taken away For as the lines from the Circumference determine in the Center so all paines and sicknesses tend vnto Death As God sent to Hezekiah to put his house in order Esay 38. because hee must die So the Remembrance that the body is dead should perswade vs to thinke of death and prepare for it Thy liuing body is called a very Carkasse Vse If we see an old man stooping and sickly we say he carries his Beere on his backe It 's the case of vs all olde and young Death the King of feare and Terrors Iob 18.14 plants euen from the first houre of our life his Ordnance of Sinne to batter the wals of our bodies Thou seest Death is entred into the Citie of thy Body Take heed it Vanquish not the Castle of thy Soule if it doe then both bodie and soule must to the Diuell It 's lamentable to obserue how many that haue the wals of their house shaken and vndermined ready to drop downe yet prouide not for their soule abate not of their pride Couetousnesse c. practising such things whereby they dye more Obrepit non intellecta senect Iuuenal saty 6. Euen dying before euer they beganne to liue and departing this world with as little vnderstanding and sense
the wound of the sheepe is more to the Shepheard then to the sheepe Plus Pastor in gregis sui vulnere vulneratur Cypr serm de lapsis Though we be not afrayd yet if our people be it toucheth vs neerely What if we saue our owne soules yet if our people perish wee cannot but sorrow as a carefull Father for the destruction of a wretched sonne Ease thou thy Teachers heart and ioy him by thy repenting It will be good for thee if thy Teacher can praise God for thy conuersion and on the contrary fearefull and vnprofitable if in his prayers he haue cause to complaine of thy stubbornnesse Heb. 13.17 Vse Let vs mourne for the sinnes of the Times and weepe in secret for the Iniquitie of the people so let vs reioyce when God is glorified by the conuersion of men Christs gaine and Satans losse should cause our ioy Wee can grieue when our children proue vnthrifts and when our friends decay in their worldly estate and on the contrary reioyce but such ioy and griefe are carnall The conuersion of thy friend howsoeuer he goe backward or forward in the world ought to bee matter of thy Ioy and if he be profane how rich so euer matter of thy mourning Luke 15.23 The Father of the Prodigall reioyced when his sonne came home a Conuert though he had spent all and had not a ragge to hang on his backe What Monsters are they which make the sinnes and destruction of men matters of their greatest mirth which ought to wring euen teares of bloud from them When thou hearest a blasphemer seest a drunkard c. canst thou laugh If thou shouldst see a man grieuously wounded fetching deadly grones and drawing his last breath wouldst thou account it sport or pastime How much lesse shouldst thou reioyce when thou seest thy brother wounding and stabbing himselfe euen to the heart by his abominable sinnes Wee lament ouer the bodies of our friends which we beleeue shall bee raised to glory at the last day much more ouer the soules of men which goe downe vnder the power of euerlasting death It is the Diuels delight if those hellish spirits can haue any delight It is their delight to see men sinne and offend their God Luke 15.10 Euen as the holy Angels reioyce at the conuersion of sinners Let vs not be like the Diuell but contrary to him and grieue at that which he takes pleasure in which if wee would doe it might so come to passe that our griefe might worke also a griefe in them that offend as many times the seeing others fall heartily to their meate brings on our stomake When thou seest sinners in words or behauiour to bee out of the way If thou couldst in stead of a smile afford a teare thy teare might make them relent whom thy smile confirmeth in their wretchednesse VERSE 1. I say the Truth in Christ I lye not my Conscience also bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost PAVL proues his griefe proceeding from his loue for the Reiection of his Nation by diuers Arguments The first is a Testimonio in the forme of an Oath where hee cals Christ himselfe to witnesse of that he deliuers The validitie of a Testimonie is according to the value of the Testis Therefore he appeales to Christ as his witnesse I speake the Truth in Christ Not in the name and authoritie of Christ nor as I am a Christian or as it becomes a Christian or I being in Christ or beeing baptized but By Christ As Beth sometime in the Hebrue so En in the Greeke is the token of an Oath in this place Piscator 2. Cor. 12.2 and so also some expound that of Paul I know a man in Christ that is By Christ yet not by Christ as onely a man but as God I lye not This duplication of contraries is here as elsewhere vsed for the more force and to shew his syncerity For a man may lye and yet speake the truth as when hee addes a lye vnto the truth And therefore it is well prouided by our godly Lawes that men to giue in euidence are sworne to speake the whole truth and nothing but the truth Paul in this Affirmation and Negation frees himselfe from this Againe a man may lye in speaking the Truth For our speech hath Relation either to the minde or to the thing If it agree with the thing and not with the minde it is a lye for that properly makes a lye If it agree with the minde and not with the thing it is false but no lye and therefore because we discerne not mens mindes we must be warie how wee giue any the lye Paul therefore for the more credit of his oath and that all exceptions of ambiguitie mentall reseruation or equiuocation might be taken away hee put his oath Affirmatiuely and Negatiuely My conscience bearing mee witnesse Paul here neither sweares by his Conscience nor by the holy Spirit though this might bee iustified but hee iustifies his oath by the witnesse of his Conscience For Conscience is a thousand witnesses being for this purpose placed in man by God In the holy Ghost That is renued by the Holy Ghost so that Paul could speak in no words with more weight against all exceptions then he vseth here First he auoucheth it the truth which he deliuers I speake the truth and because no Iew should cauill that part may be truth and part a lye He addes I lye not and because his word it may be would beare no pawne He addes an Oath And because the Oath of an vnconscionable man is little worth he brings in his Conscience and because vnlesse the Conscience bee enlightned and directed it may erre therefore hee signifies that his Conscience is renued by the holy Ghost So we haue here two things 1. Pauls Oath I speake the truth in Christ I lye not 2. The auouchment of his Oath My Conscience bearing me witnesse in the Holy Ghost I might here enter into the common place of Truth Lying Oath Conscience but I write a briefe Commentarie not a volume of Common places First in Pauls Oath wee haue three things First the Person that makes Oath Paul Secondly the Person by whom the Oath is made Christ Thirdly the Cause which is a matter of weight and great consequence namely that Paul writes not in malice but in loue and that hee grieues for the Reiection of his Nation doctrine The Doctrine out of the first It is lawfull for Christians in due time cause and manner to sweare We haue Iacobs oath Gen. 31.35 Dauids oath 1. Sam. 20.3 Pauls oath Christs oath Gods oath it is a part of Gods seruice commanded Deut. 6.13 and without it a Common-wealth cannot stand Vse The Anabaptists are here confuted who deny the vse of all oathes Ob. But Christ saith and his Apostle Saint Iames Mat. 5.34 Iam. 5.12 Sweare not at all A. That is vnlawfully Ob. But what is
for instance to be so also meant of euery Regenerate man and therefore the Syrian Translator reads it Thee 4. The Cause The Spirit The Law of Faith say some which may receiue a good Exposition Others better interpret the holy Ghost hereby prouing the Deitie of the third Person Ambrosius Pareus Chrysost Beza vnderstands it of the efficacie of the Spirit in vs which is saith he the Grace of Regeneration I take rather to bee meant here the roote of that Grace rather then the Grace it selfe The roote I call the Grace of Holinesse in the Humane Nature of Christ which vpon our vnion with him is by the Holy Ghost conueyed vnto vs. For Ioh. 3.34 Ioh. 1.16 hee receiued not the Spirit by measure but is full of grace and of his fulnesse wee receiue grace for grace This I take to be the fittest Exposition This Spirit is two wayes set forth First by the Subiect in whom it is It is radically in Christ Secondly by the effect it is the Spirit of life for if this flowe not vnto vs we are but dead men with this being deriued vnto vs both the worthinesse of Christs obedience and also power for the weakning and abolishing of sinne that it reigneth not in vs nor can condemne vs. And for this I gesse that our Sauiour is called a 1. Cor. 15.45 Quickning Spirit For as wee haue to liue a naturall life from Adam so haue wee to liue a spirituall life from Christ being vnited vnto him The meaning then is this The power of the Spirit which is in Christ hath freed all them which are in Christ from sinne and death So that as sinne could haue no power ouer him to condemne him neither can it haue ouer vs wee receiuing of the same Spirit and liuing the same life which was in him For we liue not a diuerse life from that which is in Christ but the very same as the water in the fountaine and riuers and the life in the head and members is the same doctrine Our vnion with Christ frees vs from the power of sinne and death Ephes 2.18,22 Vse 1. The cause of all our happinesse is this vnion From hence is it that wee serue not sinne from hence is it that wee yeeld not to euery tentation of Satan that wee haue comfort that wee are stablished in Grace is from hence Labour therefore to be vnited the ordinary meanes is the Word preached For as in Graffing so here God is the Husbandman Christ the Stock Beleeuers the Imps The Spirit the Sap The Word the Knife or Saw The Sacraments The Ligatures As therefore without a Knife or Saw to open and riue the Stock and to let in the Imps a man cannot Graffe so Contemners of the Word and Sacraments cannot possibly be in Christ Vse 2. Hath freed Mee There is much Diuinitie in Pronounes said Luther In the first Verse Paul spake in the third Person Them Here in the first Me. Not that hee appropriates this freedome to himselfe by so speaking but to teach euery one to apply it to themselues and in themselues to feele it for which cause the Syrian Translator reads Thee For as the power of sense and motion in the head is deriued to euery the least and farthest member and ioynt Ephes 4.7 so the meanest in the Church as well as the chiefest doe receiue according to their place sutable grace It may be some may think O if I were Abraham Dauid or Paul I should be saued Yea if thou bee in Christ thou art freed as well as they and shalt bee saued as well as they Vse 3. Wee are now freed from sinne and and death not simply so we shall hereafter be deliuered but from the Law of Sinne. Wee be not so deliuered that wee cannot sin or dye but Sin cannot domineere ouer vs nor damne vs nor Death hurt vs. Lay vp this against the Day of tentation It is very grieuous to feele the assaults of Sinne as of Vncleannes Pride c. But all are Beggers we may not choose our Almes wee must remember our measure wee haue such things that we may be humbled not that we should bee ouercome Thou must be content to haue Sinne trouble thee here and to wring from thee sighes and teares but comfort thy Soule with this it shall neuer condemne thee A Snake may be so handled by taking out the sting or teeth that it cannot hurt vs though it touch vs yet wee abhorre it for the nature of it and are afraid to haue it come nere vs and it 's but our feare So sinne is in such sort handled by our Sauiour Christ that though it touch vs and hisse at vs yet it cannot hurt vs It may make vs afraid but blessed be God the feare is more then the hurt For as sinne and death could not hurt Christ so neither can they hurt vs. It is not kild out-right but it is so maymed Iudges 1. that as Adoni-bezek hauing his hands and feet mangled and being in chaines could not endammage Israel so neither can sinne vs. When therefore thou feelest sinne stir in thy heart alas who feeles it not cast not away thy confidence but with a good courage resist it and resort to Christ by Prayer that thou mayst more feele the power of his Spirit Great is the power of sinne but the power of the Spirit is greater The Diuell is strong but CHRIST is stronger Vse 4. Those which haue not obtained this freedome are most miserable They are slaues and that to the basest master in the world which is Sin and shall haue the fearefullest wages which is Death As nothing is more base then sin so nothing is more bitter then death How did sinne Tyrannize ouer Ammon Achab Iudas who could haue no rest 2. Sam. 13.2 1. King 21.4 Iohn 13.30 but are sicke till they haue performed most shamefull seruices to their vtter ruine Thou hast heard of the Gally-slaues of the Turke How sweet is it to bee deliuered from such a bondage But alas What is the Turk to the Diuell What is a Gally to Hell What the labour of Oares to the seruice of sinne and torments of Hell O the happines of them which are in Christ that are deliuered from sinne and death Haue we any enemies to these Yea his happinesse is the more by the assurance of it for once in Christ and euer in Christ let Satan do his worst The lest branch of the Vine which is Christ is too high for Satans reach Such as are in him can neuer want sauing Grace so rich a Root is Christ to maintaine and nourish all such which are grafted into him So long as Christ hath any Spirit thou shalt not want it As possible is it for Christ to want the Spirit as for thee to want it if thou beest in Christ Vse 5. Examine whether thou beest set free If sinne rule in thee it will also damne thee thou
question their hauing the Spirit but as taking it granted both that Christ is risen and that they haue the Spirit so our Sauiour Ioh. 14.15 If you loue me keepe my commandements not doubting of their loue but from thence vrging their obedience Two things are supposed 1. That the Spirit of God is in them 2. That Christ is risen by the power of the holy Holy Ghost Verse 9. Of the former of these before The later is a part of the Creed which I purpose not to runne into at this time The Conclusion declareth the Argument Thus If the Spirit of God be in you then the Spirit will quicken your mortall bodies But the Spirit of God is in you as hath been declared Therefore c. The Consequence is proued from the like The Spirit hath raised vp Christ therefore will it you being his members Here two things 1. The Action Quickning 2. The Amplification 1. From the Efficient God described by an Effect The Raising vp of Christ 2. The Subiect Quickened Your mortall bodies 3. The Condition of them whose mortall bodies shall be quickned Theirs in whom the Spirit dwelleth He that raised that is the Father so the Soune so the Holy Ghost raised Christ it was the worke of the whole Trinitie who in workes without are vndiuided Shall quicken Not raise for the wicked shall bee raised but they shall not be quickned as the Godly namely with a Spirituall life And yet Paul saith 1. Cor. 15.22 As in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made aline vsing the same word which heere But the Answere is that All may bee taken distributiuely thus As many as are in Adam dye and as many as are in Christ shall bee made aliue Hee saith All and All to shew that none dye but in Adam and none are made aliue but in Christ Your mortall bodies Aug. Epist 57. Dard. that is soules dead in sinne say some a Piscator but that 's too hard Your mortified bodies say others b Sarcerius but better your mortall that is your base vile bodies subiect to dying They shall be quickened That is their naturall body shall rise a Spirituall c 1. Cor. 15.44 and their mortall shall put on immortalitie d 1. Cor. 15.54 so that they shall haue no death nor mortalitie e Vt non solum non sint mortua sed ne mortalia Anselm Your euen your as it is in the Greeke By that his Spirit which dwelleth in you That is by reason of their vnion with Christ through the Spirit All that are Regenerate shall in the power of Christs Resurrection be raised by his Spirit that dwelleth in them Luke 20.35,36 Ioh. 6.40 1. Cor. 15.20,21,22,23 Here haue we an Argument against the seeming impossibilitie of the Resurrection The Sadduces account it vnreasonable * Mark 12.18 The Philosophers Ridiculous f Act. 17.18 Hymeneus and Phyletus said it was past g 2. Tim. 2.18 and many yet doubt of it To all which I say Consider the Author and cease to Doubt Paul illustrates it by naturall things As Wheat dyes and riseth i 1. Cor. 15.36.37,38 so the day k Dies moritur in noctem c. Trees also wither and re-flourish Why not our bodies we hauing a Promise Doest thou beleeue Christs Resurrection Else wert thou nor a Christian The Iewes beleeue he dyed the Christians that he rose againe Beleeuest thou this Then beleeue thine owne as the body drownes not so long as the head is aboue water so if thou bee a member of Christ thy Head thou shalt not be left behinde but euen thy body shall be receiued into Heauen Whither hee hath carried the pledge l Tert. ib. c. 37. of it in his owne humanitie Bee secure O flesh and bloud you vsurpe Heauen in your Head Christ Adam had a possibilitie to dye if he sinned and a necessity of dying because he sinned Our mortall bodies shall receiue an impossibilitie of dying by the Quickning of that Spirit That as Christ dieth no more m Rom. 6.9.18 so death hath no dominion ouer vs. This comforted Iob in the day of his sore trouble n Iob 10.25 and this was the Comfort of the poore Iewes vnder Antiochus Epiphanes they looked for a o Heb. 11.35 better Resurrection to be as Sugar to rellish the bitternesse of the Crosse Note a secret Your mortall bodies The same which they carried about with them shall be raised vp and a revnion of the bodie and soule at the last day No accidentall thing can vtterly destroy an Essentiall But death is accidentall and the vnion of body and soule essentiall Therefore that vnion cannot in reason perpetually faile Some of the Heathen e Plato acknowledged that the separation of body and soule could not be finall Ruffinus saith that his people in repeating the Creed would say I belieue the resurrection of this Flesh f Carnis huius Ruff. in exposit simbol inter opera Cypr. as though they had clapt their hands on their breasts So Paul saith This Corruptible g 1. Cor. 15.54 But some will say Some men are lame some deformed shall those bodies rise so I answer The same in substance shall rise not in infirmitie Lazarus without his sores Mephibosheth without his lamenesse Such things shall be taken away in the elect for defect and deformitie cannot stand with that glory And for the Reprobate it is thought by some Diuines to be probable that their defects shall not be supplied but suffred for the encrease of their shame and punishment h Tilen syntag disput Theolog. parte altera loc de Resurrect Thes 37. The Iustice of God requires that the same not another body should rise to punishment or blisse That hand those feet those prowd adulterous eyes that blaspheming tongue shall rise againe to receiue condigne punishment And on the contrary those hands that haue beene lifted vp in prayer and stretched out to relieue the Saints those that haue wept for sinne that tongue which hath glorified God That body that hath suffered for Christ shall also rise to be partaker of his glory doctrine Vse 5. Those which haue the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them shall haue a ioyfull Resurrection others not As the sleepe of sound and sicke men differ So the Resurrection of good and bad Sound men are refreshed sick men haue sick sleeps and are the worse when they awake so shall the Resurrection be Then shall bee a generall gaole-Deliuerie but some shall be acquitted some deliuered to the Executioner to bee tormented and these are said to perish not Physically but Theologically being depriued of blisse We must all rise How wouldst thou rise which readest these things wouldst thou rise with feare and terrour or with ioy and confidence If thus then repent and forsake thy sinnes and thou shalt For the hope of such resurrection depends vpon an holy
Conuersation Alasse what shall become of thee thou Drunkard c. When thou dyest thou hast done but God hath not done with thee Thou shalt no sooner peepe out of thy Graue but thou shalt see him come to judge thee whom thou hast pierced despised disobeyed What Confusion shall it be vnto thee Thinke of it and repent lest at that day thou wish thou hadst beene a dog or a toad for that shame and condemnation thou shalt then vndergoe VERSE 12. Therefore brethren we are debters not to the Flesh to liue after the Flesh Verse 13 14 15 16 17. HEre beginnes the Exhortation the Effect wherof is this seeing we expect such things the state of them which liue after the flesh is so miserable wee ought to liue after the Spirit and not after the Flesh There are diuers Arguments whereby this Exhortation is vrged The first is in the 12. verse which is taken from Equitie and Iustice Suum cuique To giue euery man his owne is the voyce of Iustice But we are debters to the Spirit therfore our life must be spirituall Therefore an Illation sending vs to the things before deliuered wherin me thinks the Apostle dealeth like a braue Generall who hauing spoken of the glory of them which conquer and the shame of them which are conquered doth animate his souldiers to fight it out manfully and to subdue the Flesh Brethren This is an Insinuation the better to perswade them Wee Not including others and excluding himselfe but concluding all Are Debters Debters are of two sorts Ciuill which owe money c. to men Secondly Theologicall And this is also double 1. Sinne. 2. or Obedience Sinne is a debt so called in the Lords Prayer not that we owe sinne or that our sinnes are owing to be done but because we owe the punishment to be vndergone hauing by our sinnes forfeited body and soule to be damned And therefore sinnes are so called by a double figure Metaphora Metonim effecti but this debt is not here meant The other Theologicall debt is the debt of obedience which we owe to God for our Election Vocation Iustification c. So it is taken here not so in the Lords Prayer for we doe not pray neither may we to haue the debt of obedience forgiuen Not to the Flesh Flesh here not for the body but for corruption for we are debters to the body to cloath it to feed it c. that it may bee a fit instrument for the soule to serue God but we are not debters to the corruption to liue thereafter Here the Antithesis is omitted but necessarily to bee vnderstood But to the spirit to liue after the spirit that is holily This verse hath two parts First an Affirmation Secondly an Amplification The Affirmation We are debters This is amplified first by an Illation Therefore Secondly by a Friendly compellation Brethren Thirdly by a generality We. Fourthly by the Creditor who is here set downe Negatiuely Not to the Flesh The Affirmatiue to bee supplied But to the Spirit Fiftly by the debt which we must pay Life or liuing that is thoughts words deeds And this is also negatiuely set downe and to bee marked Not to liue after the Flesh For we owe something to corruption but death not life doctrine All the Regenerate are to liue to God in obedience not to the Flesh This is proued out of the Preface of the lawe Where before God requires any thing he shewes that we are in his debt I am the Lord thy God c. So Ioshua 24.15,16 2. Corinth 7.1 Gal. 5.25 Vse 1. Here is a double note for Ministers first to vse louing and friendly words to winne their Auditours to suffer the words of Exhortation Secondly not to exempt themselues but as they would haue part in the promises they offer so to acknowledge the duties which they vrge As Nepthali they must giue goodly words * Gen. 49.21 and also bee examples to their flocke * 1. Pet. 5.3 putting their own shoulders to the burden which they lay vpon other * Mat. 13.4 Vse 2. Our Obedience is debt therefore not merit What wee receiue of GOD is of Grace what wee render is due debt and when wee haue payd all wee can wee are vnprofitable seruants Vse 3. The Grace wee receiue frees vs not from Obedience but binds vs the more If thou make another vse of Gods fauor thou art a Libertine The mercies of God make vs debters to offer vp our bodies and soules to his seruice Rom. 1. ver 1. Vse 4. Thou owest Obedience to God Pay pay The borrower is a seruant to the Lender Pro. 22.7 and hee that receiueth to him that giueth Thou hast receiued all of GOD therefore thou owest for all Thinke of payment So did Dauid O saith he Psal 116. I am greatly indebted to God What shall I pay As men that hauing gotten other mens goods into their hands will not pay but breake or run away are infamous So thou if hauing receiued Body and Soule and all from God shouldst deny thy seruice Hee that lets a Farme lookes for his Rent and hee that hires a seruant expects his worke yea Baalam is offended if his Asse serue him not Should not God much more exact thy seruice who hath Created Preserued and Redeemed thee euen by the bloud of his Sonne If a Prince commit to his subiect a Peece of Importance and hee render it vp to the Enemy will not all men hold such a subiect for a ranck traytor What art thou better then a Traytor if hauing receiued many Castles of thy Lords to keepe as thy Tongue thy Eyes thy Hands thy Body thy Soule thou yeeld and sell them to the Diuell by Blasphemy Drunkennesse Pride Vncleannesse c. Ah wretch thou receiuest with one hand from God and giuest to the Diuell with the other If thy neighbour bee offended with thee thou vsually saist I care not for him I owe him nothing Remember thou owest the Diuell nothing why shouldst thou serue him When Sathan tempts thee to sinne answere him thus I owe thee nothing Sathan why requirest thou my seruice which is due onely to GOD from whome I haue receiued all things Policarpus being vrged to remember Christ and to sweare by Caesars fortune answered Euseb Eccles hist lib. a. cap. 15. This 86. yeeres haue I serued my Lord Christ and he hath been alwaies my good Master I will not now deny him Remember this holy man and pay thy Vowes and Debts to God Vse 5. Men that are runne farre in debt and pay and pay and see no end of their debt many times grow desperate Thou owest much to God and art vnable to pay be not thou therefore negligent and carelesse The Prodigall Child spent all but he recouered all and more by humble repentance begging pardon Doe thou so Pay as farre as thou canst Craue pardon and remission for the rest by the
Obedience of Christ God accepts of a willing minde for the deede There is great difference betweene debts owing to men and owing to God The more wee pay of our debts to men the lesse we haue but the more we pay to God the more we haue and are the better able to pay The more thou prayest the better able thou shalt be to pray c. VERSE 13. For if yee liue after the Flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the body yee shall liue IN the 12. Verse the Apostle had an Argument ab aequo honesto which were enough to perswade but in this Verse he more strongly vrgeth it Adhibet calcaria sortiora Martyr The Argument is drawne from the contrary Ends of obedience and disobedience and so containeth two Arguments the one a Cōmination in the first part of the Verse the other a Promise in the latter both Conditionall as all Promises and Threatnings are If yee liue after the Flesh Following the lusts of your corrupt heart Yee shall dye Not onely the death of the body in the separation of the soule from it but of the soule in the separation of it from God Q. But why saith he Ye shall dye and not Ye shall bee damned in as much as that is chiefly meant A. Because the Spirit of God would driue men from Sinne by that which is most fearefull which is Death The remembrance of Death doth more forcibly moue the minde then the remembrance of Hell though hell bee a thousand times more grieuous then Death For our Affection is moued according to our knowledge of the thing That which most wayes is knowne affecteth most wee know hell onely by Faith but wee know death to bee fearefull by Faith by Reason and by Sense By Faith because the Scripture declares it By Reason because it is a separation of things so neerely and naturally ioyned and consenting By sense because we feele it growing vpon vs euery day But if yee mortifie that is beate downe cut off cast away cause to dye a Metaphor taken from Surgeons who before they cut off a Limbe mortifie the place The deeds of the body That is Actions and Affections but actions are named because by actions affections are manifested The body is either taken for Corruption or rather euill deeds are called the deeds of the body because the body is the instrument of working them By the Spirit Sarcenus That is the helpe of the Holy Ghost or by the Regenerate part Ye shall liue Eternally in happinesse Of the which Sanctitie is the way This life scarce a shadow In the latter part there is the Promise Ye shall liue The Condition If ye mortifie the deeds of the body by the Spirit Where 1. The action mortifie 2. The Obiect The deeds of the body 3. The meanes By the Spirit doctrine Saluation is promised on the Condition that we liue not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 6.22 Gal. 6.8 Vse 1. A hard thing it is to forsake sinne it is mortification It is hard for old friends to part wee lay together in the same wombe and it hath beene our vnhappy play-fellow and companion euer since wee were borne Yea sinne stickes as fast in our nature as a tooth in our heads or our soule to our body as we cannot part from these without paine so neither from Sinne. It is the nature of Sinne not to bee driuen away without force and violence A few angry lookes and sharpe words will not doe it You may rate away your dogge but sinne will not stirre for words as appeares in many who will speake bitterly against their sinnes and themselues with Beast Wretch c. and yet anon to the practice of them When thou hast to deale with Sinne haue no compassion but fight against it with a bloudy and cruell mind So much as thou sparest it so much thou hurtest thy selfe 1. Sa. 15.20,23 1. Kin. 20.42 Saul spared Agag and Ahab spared Benhadad but it was their ruine so if thou sparest sinne it will cost thee euen the Kingdome of Heauen Kill therefore thy sinnes or they will kill thee It is a case of life and death Be carefull Old wounds must haue strong medicines O what adoe haue wee with Pride Hypocrisie Couetousnesse Lust Hee that fauoureth these let him want fauour Vse 2. The deeds of the body are mortified by the Spirit Wee doe the worke but by the power of the Spirit The strength vnto mortification is put into vs from Heauen We are as able with our little finger to shake the foundation of the earth as to shake out sinne by our owne strength He that goes among Lyons must needs be torne in pieces Sinnes are Lyons Hee that stands vpon the shore when the tide comes thinking to beate backe the water with his hand is soone eaten in and drowned Sinnes come vpon vs as waues we must drowne if God help vs not By Gods helpe the walles of Jericho fell downe Samson kild a Lyon and Daniel is safe in their very den and Moses diuides the Sea So mortification of Sinne is possible by the helpe of the Spirit otherwise impossible When therefore thou feelest Pride Couetousnesse Lust growing vpon thee begge the help of the Spirit or else thou art vndone Pray with the words of Iehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20.12 O Lord God there is no strength in me to stand against these sins neither do I know what to do but mine eyes are toward thee Vse 3. If you mortifie he speakes to them which had mortified sinne before they must continue so doing In this life thou shalt neuer want something to be mortified Hast thou begun to repent Neuer giue ouer so long as thou hast a heart to sigh for thy sinnes We weede our Gardens and are euer weeding Sinnes are ill weedes and grow apace our hearts are a Step-mother to Goodnesse and a naturall mother to Vice therefore be alwayes dealing with it The Captaine that batters the Enemies Fort a day or two and then giues ouer giues the more courage to the enemie and loseth his labour So is it if wee continue not our course of mortification Elisha was angry with Ioash for smiting the ground but thrice with the arrows 2 King 13.19 O saith be thou shouldest haue smitten fiue or sixe times and then thou shouldest haue smitten the Aramites till thou hadst consumed them So leaue not thy sinnes till thou hast consumed them lest they consume thee Vse 4. There is a necessity of mortification the want wherof brings a Necessity of damnation Those things which God hath ioyned no man can part Hee hath ioyned vnmortified sinnes and death together they cannot be parted When thou goest to buy a commodity if the price bee great thou forbearest and shalt thou fly vpon sinne knowing what it will cost thee If Iudas had knowen as much before he betrayed his Master as hee
bee most probable if the restoring be onely to some singulars of all kinds And whereas it may bee obiected why these of the kinds rather then other I would aske them also why at the Deluge these of the kinds rather then other were preserued in the Arke But it is not safe walking in the darke without a light Wee know not how it shall be but this I am sure of that all things shall be most wisely and excellently brought to passe Vse 3. Seeing all these things shall bee dissolued what manner of persons ought wee to be in all holy conuersation and godlinesse 2. Pet. 3.11 If our seruants shall be changed why are we yet intangled in old things Let vs become new Creatures that we may be worthy Inhabitants of the new Heauens and new Earth which shall be Vse 4. Glorious liberty is proper to the Children of God what shall become of the wicked Alasse they shall be holden in the bondage of euerlasting torments They shall bee worse then many bruit Creatures for many of them shal cease to be and therefore to be miserable They shall neuer cease to be that they may neuer cease to be miserable As they now follow the liberty of the flesh so then they shall bee in the bondage of euerlasting punishment VERSE 23. And not onely they but our selues also which haue the first fruits of the Spirit Euen wee our selues groane within our selues waiting for the Adoption to wit the * Luc. 21.28 Redemption of our body IN this Verse is the Application of the former Example The words haue no difficulty if wee vnderstand to whom the Application is referred Wee Some expound Caietanus We Apostles which Apostles had the first fruits that is the Riches of the Spirit As the first fruits are most precious so they receiued Grace both before others and in greater measure and then the Argument is from the greater to the lesse Aretius If we Apostles which are sydera as starres if we sigh and grone then much more inferiour Christians But it is rather to be taken of Christians in generall the Apostle neither in the precedent or subsequent verses speaking of himselfe as of an Apostle but as of a Christian as in the next verse we are saued by Hope which is not the prerogatiue of Apostles but of all Christians We then that is we Christians both of that and all times So here is an Argument from the lesse to the greater thus If the Creature which hath not such sense of the glory to come as we haue do abide the Lords leisure expecting a day of deliuerance then much more ought we to waite c. In this verse are two things First a practice of Christians Secondly a reason of the practice The practice is set downe in two words 1. Grone 2. Wayte 1. We grone Among our selues say some Beza but better in our selues And so it is an Amplification from the manner or measure of Groning That is our Grones come from our very heart roote as we say There is a reioycing which is but in the face and appearance so there is a groning but in appearance therefore he saith in our selues 2. Cor. 5.12 to note the Greatnesse and the Truth of it that it is not fained but without hypocrisie or to shew that there is matter within the best of vs to make vs mourne Pareus Ansel The second practice We wayte amplified by the thing we waite for The Adoption which is expounded The Redemption of our bodies these words being added by apposition But we are the sonnes of God why then should we wayt for that which we haue already The answere is wee haue the Right but not the Complement Wee haue the right of the Inheritance Habemus Ius haereditatis non possessionē Iuris but wee shall not haue the full possession of our Right till the Resurrection of our bodies But why of the bodie because all miseries are conueyed to the whole man by the bodie or rather because the body is subiect to death corrupting and rotting in the graue when the soule is in Heauen it is the last is redeemed and all wayt euen for that Luk. 21.28 The reason is because we haue the first fruites of the Spirit which breeds sighes and grones in them which haue it The first fruites that is the Prelibation A say or taste which we receiue here in righteousnesse peace and ioy being but a sip in comparison of the full draught we shall haue hereafter Saint Paul here alludes to the law of the first fruits which were a pawne to the offerer of Inning his whole crop Leuit. 23. so the first fruits of the Spirit which we receiue here in remission of sinnes is as a pawne to vs of receiuing the whole masse of Glory promised doctrine The Children of God because they haue receiued the first fruits of the Spirit doe grone for the present corruption expecting the Redemption euen of their bodies from the same Ephes 4.30 2. Cor. 5.2,3,4,5 Phil. 3.20,21 Vse 1. The power of Sinne brings death of body goes with it to the Graue remaines with it turnes it into dust and neuer leaueth it till the day of the Generall resurrection Vse 2. Gods children now mourne yet they are called to Ioy and Ioy they shall haue going from the vale of teares to the Mountaine of Ioy. Heauinesse may endure for a night the time of this life but ioy commeth in the morning Psal 30.5 Illo Mane Psal 49.14 in That morning which shall haue no night to succeed it And this with as vndoubted assurance as the first fruites assured of the whole crop and as the earnest assureth of the bargaine Now the first fruites of the Spirit are the earnest of future glory Ephes 1.13 Vse 3. We haue no perfection in this life for we haue but the first fruites and hence the diuell would deceiue vs perswading vs that we haue no faith no sanctification not the Spirit at al because we haue not al faith perfect sanctification and the fulnes of the Spirit Well Remember that God requires according to that he giues he knows thou canst haue no grace but from him and therefore he expects obedience no farther then he giues Hast thou much grace He expects from thee much obedience And a man is accepted according to that he hath not according to that he hath not Be humbled for thy wants but despaire not Vse 4. He that hath the first fruits of the Spirit grones to be deliuered from the power of sinne not onely to condemne him but also to rule and raigne in him Where are thy sighes and Teares for thy sinnes and manifold faylings The godly are euery where brought in in their mourning apparell Dauid waters his couch with his teares Psal 6.6 Iobs mourning came before his meat Iob. 3.24 and Paul cries out lamenting Rom. 7.24 If then thou
is the Spirit maketh Intercession for vs that is teacheth vs to make Intercession According to his will as it is reuealed in his Word doctrine The way to haue our Prayers heard is to pray according to Gods will 1. Ioh. 5.14 Iam. 4.3 Vse 1. Wicked men shall not bee heard to their benefite Prou. 28.9 The Prayer of a wicked man is abominable He heard the Iewes when they cursed themselues saying His bloud be vpon vs but he onely approues the prayers of his children A wicked man can haue no hope to bee heard for whosoeuer remembers that free will not doe that which hee hath heard must needs distrust to receiue that which hee asketh When our good life agreeth with our good words then is there confidence and lowd crying in the eares of God Vse 2. Wouldest thou be heard Aske then those things which are according to Gods will not thine owne In Prayer it is a great grace to renounce our owne wils And he doubtlesse is the best seruant that desireth not to heare that which he will but which willeth that which he heareth Submit thy will to Gods for better knowes the Physicion what 's fit for the sick man then himselfe If thou askest any thing either thou shalt haue it or if thou hast it not it is not expedient for thee to haue it and then GOD doth not thy will that hee may doe his owne for thy good VERSE 28. And wee know that all things worke together for good to them that loue God to them who are called according to his purpose HEre is a new argument to comfort and encourage vs vnder the Crosse taken from the profit the Crosse brings The Crosse tends to our Good to further vs to godlinesse and the Kingdome of Heauen therefore wee may not bee discouraged In this Verse are two things 1. A Proposition All things worke together for them which loue God 2. The proofe which is double 1. From the experience of all Saints We know 2. From a description of them which loue God they are the Called according to Gods purpose We know The wicked knowe not this secret As the Philistims vnderstood not Samsons Riddle but wee know the Crosse is a help All things Aquinas ante â—um Aug. lâ—b de cor gra c. 1. Euen sinnes because from their fals Gods Children arise more warie and carefull The best things of the wicked euen their prayers turne to their hurt the worst of the godly euen their sinnes turne to their Good Satan then gets nothing in the end by tempting vs to sinne but the greater ouerthrow of his owne Kingdome I dare not say that this is the meaning of these words For sinnes indeed turne to the good but worke not the good of Gods children as afflictions doe For sinne is not appointed to be done as the Crosse is appointed to be suffered neither can it be said that sinne is sanctified to this purpose as are afflictions Here properly by All things is meant all Aduerse things Worke together not inuicem betweene themselues but together with God Not of their owne nature for so they doe not co-operate but contra-operate but beeing sanctified by God Ansel and therefore one takes the Verbe passiuely are wrought for indeede take away God and afflictions worke to our hurt For Good That is the chiefe good Eternall life To them which loue God So are Gods children described for it is proper to children to loue and obey their Father To them which are called according to his purpose That is God hath purposed the saluation of his children hath chosen and called them vnto it therefore it must needs bee that afflictions comming from God must further them to eternall life Otherwise he should do that which should hinder and crosse his owne purpose which is not done by wise men much lesse by our most wise God doctrine All Afflictions further the good of Gods children Psal 119.71 1. Pet. 1.6,7 3.17 4.19 2. Cor. 4.17 Iosephs afflictions furthered Gods purpose of honouring him Gen. 50.20 and Pauls afflictions furthered the cause of the Gospell Phil. 1.12 Vse 1. The admirable power and goodnesse of God is here noted that he can and doth ouerrule the nature of euil things so as to make them serue for much good yea to bring good out of them as he brought light out of darknes He can sweeten these bitter waters As the Apothecary of poison makes Triacle to driue out poison So can God make the poison of afflictions which in themselues are the curse of the Law to driue out the poison of sinne God makes afflictions worke to our good in two respects 1. Of Sinne. 2. Of Grace 1. Of Sinne two wayes First to preuent it Secondly to cure it 1. A Physicion opens a veine not onely to cure but many times to preuent a disease God knowes our disposition Hee sees that many times wee are inclined to Pride Vncleannesse Couetousnesse Reuenge Now that wee should not fall into these hee sends vs losses in our goods sicknesse in our bodies c. whereby wee are kept and bridled from that which otherwise we would commit 2. Sinne also is cured by afflictions The bloud of Christ indeede hath onely this vertue but afflictions are said so to doe because they driue vs to seeke the cure being therefore called the medicine of the soule They are of the best nature which are wonne by loue but ten to one are brought to goodnesse by afflictions Meliores sunt quos ducit amor sed plures sunt quos corrigit timor Aug. Luk. 15.17 In prosperitie we grow rusty The Crosse is Gods file to make vs bright The Prodigall in prosperitie forgets himselfe but hauing gone to schoole to the Hogs-trough he comes to himselfe So did fellowship with the beasts teach Nabuchadnezzar humilitie and the Dungeon Manasses true Religion who in their prosperity were proud and irreligious The Crosse is also a preseruatiue of Grace In prosperitie we are dull and drowsie as a man comming from a Feast is heauy sleepy A Romane Captain said that his armie neuer stood in worse termes then when he had peace So in prospetie is our greatest danger then haue wee least minde of God then do we least feare pray seldomest coldest are soonest ouertaken with pride couetousnesse vncleannesse hypocrisie Aduersitie is a quickner stirres vp to Prayer Repentance and all holy duties It is noted of Salomon that of all the Kings of Iuda he fell foulest because hee had most prosperitie That God might not loose vs and we lose his grace hee sends vs aduersitie As the Starres shine brightest in the night so the graces of Gods Spirit in affliction Vse 2. The Affliction which is to the godly a help to heauen is to a wicked man the fore-runner of hellish torments as in the deluge the water that bore vp the Arke drowned the wicked of those times Vnder the Crosse the godly
Scriptures describe God angry with sinners Exod. 32.12 Numb 11.1 Psal 7.6 Vse Feare to offend God for hee can be angry and when angry who knowes the power of his wrath b Psalm 90.1 As his grace is incomprehensible toward his children so is his anger toward his enemies We desire his Grace let vs eschew his Anger Lord rebuke me not in thy wrath saith Dauid c Psal 5.1 praying more against that thē against bodily sicknes Gods frown is worse then any punishment yea then hell torments If his wrath be kindled yea but a very little blessed are all they that trust in him d Psal 2. vlt. Doe they prouoke me to anger and not themselues to their owne confusion saith the Lord e Iere. 7.19 For if the frowne of a Prince be the death of the subiect f Prou. 20.2 much more the frown of God who in very deed cannot frown as man but if any thing could make him frowne sinne would doe it it is so hatefull to him As Anger so Power is attributed to God but anger improperly this properly It is alwaies actiue in God In him is principium agendi not patiendi to doe but not to suffer for this argues defect as was said before This power is Almightinesse and it is absolute or ordinate By the first he is able to doe all he will and more then he actually doth will for as there is in God a knowledge of things which neuer were or shall be so is there Abilitie to do that which hee neuer will shall be done Hee can raise vp of stones children to Abraham and giue Christ more then 12. legions of Angels but we neuer read he did so By the second he can doe all he will notwithstanding all opposition and that in an instant Q. Can God doe all things A. It is a shamefull question for the Creature to mooue of the Creator Some things are in possible to God because he is God of which a pious obseruer of Gods maiestie would haue vs not to say God cannot doe them but they cannot be done Those things are impossible which any waies imply a contradiction * Aquin. as a thing to be and not to be at the same time for this is to make those things which are true in the same respect that they are true to be false g Audēter loquar Cū omnia possit Deus suscitare virginē non potest post ruinam Hieron in ep ad Eusta de virg Quisquis dicit Si omnipotens est Deus faciat vt quae facta sunt facta nō fuerint non videt hoc se dicere saciat vt quae vera sunt eo ipso quo vera sunt falsa sint Aug. lib. 26. cont Faust ca. 5. So God cannot ly or dy not for want of strength but because he wants no strength for these are works of weakenes not of power In these the affirmation hath the force of a Negation according to the thing Doct. There is in God an infinite power to doe what hee will Luke 1,31 Math. 19.28 Hee is called Almighty 2. Corin. 6.18 Vse This doctrine is like the cloud which was light to Israel but darknes to Pharaoh and his host If thou belongest to the Israel of God remember God is Almighty Many promise more then they can performe GOD can giue beeing to all his promises Pray vvith boldnesse trust on him with boldnesse whatsoeuer thy owne reason or the world obiect He is able to giue and to maintaine his gifts that thou mayst perseuere I know in whom I haue beleeued saith Paul 2. Tim. 1.12 In vvhom Paul In him who is able to keepe my soule saith he With this Christ comforts his sheepe Iohn 10.29 My Father is stronger then all and none can take them out of my Fathers hand If thou beest profane remember that God is able to make good all his Threatnings Doth it not affright thee to consider Doth it not make thy heart to shake Vana sine viribus ira Anger without power is in vaine but God hath anger and power O humble thy selfe to this Almighty Iudge of the world who infinitely hates is offended with sinne and hath infinite power to execute his vengeance and displeasure vpon sinners Let all the ends of the earth feare him so doth our blessed Sauiour admonish Math. 10.28 Feare not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule and bodie in Hell The matter it selfe in this end is that God lets vvicked men alone and suffers them to haue a being here which are not worthy to tread vpon the earth that all the world may take knowledge of his anger against sinne and of his power to execute the same doctrine God suffers Reprobates for the manifestation of his wrath and power for this he suffered the Amorites many hundred yeeres Gen. 15.13,16 To this purpose also is there a speech vttered by our Sauiour to the Scribes and Pharises and the rest of the Iewes me thinks it is a fearefull one Mat. 23.32 Fulfilye the measure of your fathers iniquitie They were monstrously wicked yet hee bids them go on to fulfill their measure Why That they may be made examples and that the world may ring of his iudgements which hee will bring vpon them for all the bloud which was shed vpon the earth from the bloud of Abel to the bloud of Zachary verse 35. Vse 1. There is no Iniustice in the reprobation of men because they deserue it and it serues to the setting forth of Gods glory and for the getting himselfe a name It is most necessary that the Iustice and Power of God should bee knowne but without the Decree of Reprobation and Execution thereof we could not so well know them A man may know the sweetnesse of honey by reading and by report but a fuller knowledge is attained by taste So wee may know the Iustice and power of GOD by his Word but when we see examples of these this experimental knowledge is farre more excellent Vse 2. Many times we see a wicked notorious wretch to bee aduanced to liue long to prosper and to enioy an ouerflowing cup of outward blessings while Gods children a great deale better men are poore despised and crossed on euery hand This is a sore tentation This is the Atheists Argument If there be a God or a prouidence Why doe his enemies prosper Why doth he not blesse his owne This posed Dauid Psul 73. and troubled Ieremy Ier. 12. But they and wee are taught that God heapes good things on wicked men not that hee likes their courses or had giuen ouer the gouerning of the world but to make them the more pregnant examples of his wrath and power and that his children are afflicted here that they may be prepared for the glory to come Grieue not then nor grudge at bad
Indefinite Proposition is equiualent to an Vniuersall 2. The Restruction of the generall Whosoeuer belieueth Whosoeuer concludes all Belieuers Belieuers excludes all vnbelieuers 3. The obiect of Faith In him To belieue on Christ is not onely to belieue that Christ is and that what he saith is true but to rest vpon his Righteousnes for Iustification and to trust him with our Saluation as Paul 2. Tim. 1.12 I knowe whom I haue belieued On him notes Faith and Confidence 4. The effect of Faith Not ashamed The contrary denied for the direct effect As if he had said Shall be saued For the denying of one contrary is the affirming of the other They shall not be frustrate of their end therefore not ashamed Ob. But wee account it a good thing to be ashamed and the contrary a fault Diogenes thus incouraged a young man blushing Feare not it is Vertues colour Yet the Philosophers wisely distinguish of it counting it a grace in young folkes but old folkes should commit nothing which might make them blush A. Here is a Figure The word is not vsed in the ordinary signification hee meanes not that beleeuers shall not be ashamed of their faults for none are more and the wicked are noted to be shamelesse Ier. 3.3 but the sence is they shall not misse the end of their faith and so be ashamed A man boasts of a matter and in the end vp starts iust nothing then is he ashamed as profane people bragge of their hope to bee saued but when their Crakes faile they shall bee confounded vvith shame Esay saith Shall not make haste that is shall not betake themselues to shamefull courses to bring their desires to passe but shall wait vpon God and in the end haue assured deliuerance but as such who runne hastily often stumble and fall and so are ashamed so they which will not stay Gods leisure fall into many inconueniences vvhich cause their shame doctrine He that beleeueth is sure to be saued Ioh. 3.18 Psal 22.4 Rom. 5.5 1. Pet. 1.6 The promises are called sure Rom. 4.16 The counsell of God stable and the consolation thereby strong Heb. 6.17,18 Vse 1. Whosoeuer trust in any thing but in Christ shall be ashamed The Iewes of their confidence in the Lawe The Papists though they now bragge and face out the matter that they be the only men and the true Church shall one day bee ashamed of their religion because they build their saluation on a rotten foundation as masses pardons indulgences pilgrimages prayer to Saints their owne merits c. They are like him in the Gospell who began to build a Tower but not being able to finish it was ashamed Those which trust in horses and armed men in the day of battell shall be ashamed They also which with King Asa trust in the Physicians and not in God in the day of sicknesse so they which trust in their riches contrary to the commandement of the Spirit whom Christ calls fooles 1. Tim. 6.17 Luke 12.20 These also who seek in losses to Wizards and not to God Many trust in outward things without God but there are few who trust in God without outward things Vse 2. There is much feare and doubting where faith is but in the end beleeuers shall not be ashamed This makes them confident against the obloquy and reproach cast vpon them by the world The children of God are laughed to scorne as the Philistims mocked Sampson What then Though Saul loue not Dauid nor his Religion yet he will speake of Gods testimonies before Kings wil not be ashamed Psal 119.46 and though the Gospell bee spoken against in euery place yet Paul will not be ashamed of it Rom. 1.16 This also comforts against the guiltinesse of sinne which is the true cause of shame following it as the shadow doth the body How profane wee were before our conuersion and how weakely we haue walked since our conscience knowes and is ashamed Here is our helpe faith obtaines pardon of sinne and therefore we shall neuer bee put to shame for our faults we are sinners but as when the light comes the darknesse departs and the more light the lesse darknesse so faith driues away shame and the more wee beleeue the lesse doe we feare confusion and shame Peter walked vpon the water and shamed himselfe for he began to sinke What was the cause Not the winde or waues but the defect of Faith Abraham beleeued and left his countrey and offered vp Isaac and yet was not ashamed Ob. Abraham had a great Faith but my faith is little Ans If thou hast true Faith though neuer so little thou shalt not be ashamed A childe cannot take vp his meate so strongly nor eate so much as doth a man yet that little which he takes weakely and eates nourisheth him as well as more meat doth a man So though thou be but a child in Faith thy Faith shal saue thee as wel as Abrahams Faith saued him For a man is not saued by the quantitie of his Faith but by the preciousnesse of that which Faith receiues which is the righteousnesse of Christ which a weake and little Faith will as sauingly apprehend as a strong Faith as a Begger that hath a shaking weake hand can make shift to take an almes as well as he that hath not such infirmitie Ob. But I am pestered with much doubting and cannot be rid of doubts A. Like enough But doest thou beleeue Beleeue still It is not the commendation of Faith to bee without doubtings but to ouercome them Thou shalt ouercome in the end and shalt not be ashamed Hee that kils his enemy at the first blow shewes himselfe valiant so doth he also shew a great deale of valour who being often knockt downe and wounded yet stands to it So though the field seeme doubtfull betweene thy Faith and doubting yet in the end thou shalt ouercome and thy victory shall be famous Make precious account therefore of thy Faith and labour to increase it A certaine Captaine d Epaminondas being in a hote skirmish was striken downe sore wounded and taken vp for dead as soone as he came to himselfe hee first asked if his Target were safe being loth his enemies should get that so looke to thy Faith for the Diuell thy enemy will looke to it and thou shalt not be ashamed Vse 3. Wicked men and vnbeleeuers are miserable because of the shame which followes them There can bee almost no stronger Argument against sinne then to say it will make ashamed then which there is nothing more grieuous to a generous minde therefore diuers haue rid themselues of their liues that they may be rid of their shame as Samson For to dye is naturall but to liue in shame is more then nature can endure and yet the wicked must eternally endure it Some like shamelesse beasts glory in their shame seeking no corners nor muffling themselues as Thamar but as Absolon
it for a Church is sometimes inuisible not through the fault of the Church but of mens eyes which are eyther weake eyes as of Eliah or blinde eyes as of them which hate the Church If Eliah had rubbed his eyes and cleared them from their dimnesse occasioned by feare and anger he might haue discerned seuen thousand And it is the nature of hatred to put out the eyes of them which are possessed with it that they can no more discerne any good thing in their opposites then a blinde man can see the Sunne The Papists say that the Church is as a house set vpon a hill True but the toppe of the hill may be couered with a cloud and so a while vnseene and though the cloud be gone yet euery eye cannot discerne it He that cannot see the hill can much lesse see the house on the top of it The Circumstances are two First from the Author of this Reseruation which is God I haue reserued to my selfe doctrine Those which in dangerous times are preserued in grace are so preserued meerely by the power and goodnesse of God 1. Sam. 25.39 2. Thess 5.23 2. Tim. 4.18 Iude 24. Vse 1. Though Iesabel search euery corner of the Land yet God reserueth seuen thousand which bow not the knees to Baal God can keep vs from our enemies let persecutors cease their malicious practises and let vs serue God without feare Vse 2. In regard of the preaching of the Gospell these are golden dayes but in regard of the ouerflowing of iniquity as Drunkennesse Pride Couetousnesse Vncleannesse c. these are perillous times Art thou preserued from these sinnes glorifie God It is not thy goodnesse that thou dost not as others but the goodnesse of God It was Christ that saued Peter from drowning not his owne skill or actiuitie He had infidelity enough to haue drowned him if Christ had not beene merciful so we haue enough within vs to east vs away if God reserue vs not namely a prophane heart which is as inclined to take the worst part as gunpowder to flash on a fire And if we looke without vs. What examples of great ones which strike as thunder-bolts of the multitude which beat downe all as thick hayle what occasions of euill from ill company the flourishing of the wicked and the great disgrace cast vpon such as are most religious many among vs are sick of the Italian bocth In Italy an Ideot or Asse-head is called il baon Christiano so he that feareth an oath that is temperate continent a louer of the word is counted meere curious silly How weake also are wee to resist When Eue saw the beauty of the apple and Achan the golden wedge they had not power to keepe their hands off When mighty victorious Dauid saw Bathsheba how soone is he ouercome When Peter heard the voyce of the Damsell how easily he fayled so that if these things be considered it can be no lesse a miracle of grace to be reserued The deliuerance of Lot and the three children is accounted as it is indeede wonderfull so if in these times thou be not tainted with sinne thy preseruation is no lesse then to be in the midst of the sea and not to be drowned as Peter or in the midst of Sodom and not perish as Lot or in the midst of fire and not be burnt as the three men Vse 3. Be admonished of two things First presume not of thine owne strength Peter bragd of his courage and yet plaid the coward so many say they would be ashamed to doe as such and such doe when alasse it is not in their power to abstaine 2. Kin. 8.12 13. 2. Kin. 13.7.22 Hazael thought great scorne euer to doe as Elisha foretold to him and yet afterwards he did such things Be not secure and carelesse God reserueth some but those which vse the meanes to perseuere in weldoing Which while some refuse to doe its easie to obserue how thick and threfold men fall away some to couetousnesse some to pride c many to a fearefull deadnesse hardnesse of heart If thou wouldst be preserued heare the word receiue the sacraments and pray lest thou be made a pray to the diuell The second circumstance is from a discription of true worshippers reserued who are such which haue not bowed their knees to the image of Baal doctrine Sincere worshippers of God must not in the least manner worship an Idol Psal 16.4 Ephe. 5.3 Vse Many take liberty for their outward behauiour so long as they keepe their heart though they heare no sermons nor can talke of religion nor make such shew as others doe yet they haue as good a heart to God as the best Here 's a subtle diuell because some make shew of that is not in them to perswade that though there be no outward shew of appearance of godlinesse in word or deede yet there may be a good heart which is as impossible as the sunne to be without light and the sea without water For according to the heart are all parts and senses of the body ordered Vse Walke accurately yeeld not the breadth of a naile to idolatry or any sinne for a man serues Idols not onely when he offers Sacrifice vnto them but when he sinnes for sinne is the worship of the diuell Hate therefore the very garment spotted with the flesh Some take liberty to vnhallow the Saboth and then say is this so much An inch breakes no square The beginninges of all sinne are shamefast but yeeld to a litle and the diuell will easily draw you to the mickle As the seepent if he get in his head will easily winde in his whole body so is it the nature of sinne We discipline our children telling them that first a pin then a poynt then a penny and then a horse and so to the gallowes so will sinne increase by degrees if we giue intertainment to it at first in a little As Eliah his cloud was no bigger at first then as a mans hand and afterward darkened the whole skie So he that makes no conscience of little sinnes will easily be brought at last to commit any sinne If thou makes not conscience of a spot on thy knee thou wilt not be perswaded to the highest degree of Idolatry Remember how Moses would not yeeld to Pharaoh in a hoofe nor the orthodoxall Christians to the Arrians in a letter One Marcus Bishop of Arathusa old in yeeres but yong in strength to endure chose rather to endure most grieuous torments then to giue a farthing to the building of an Idolatrous Temple which he had demolished True worshippers will not yeeld in any thing to the dishonor of God VERSE 5. Euen so at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of Grace IN this verse is the application of the former example which also is amplified in the sixt verse In the time of the generall defection in the dayes of
vanityes Which fly not but seeke the corruption which is in the world that care for nothing but backe and belly if God reiect the righteousnes and will of the Iewes what hope canst thou haue which neuer thinkest of God but to blaspheme him Which delightest only to wallow in abhominable sins I must tell thee that ten thousand thy betters are in hell Euen such which haue rapt hard at heauen gates which haue bestowed many howers in prayers much mony vpon the poore c. If such as seeke misse for seeking amisse much more those which seeke not at all or the contrary VERSE 8. According as it is written Esay 29.10 God hath giuen them the spirit of slumber or remorse eyes that they should not see Esay 6.9 eares that they should not heare vnto this day THe latter part of the seuenth verse that the rest were blinded is proued by a double testimonie The one of Eliah in this verse the other of Dauid In the two next verses That which the scripture testifieth is true But it testifies that the multitude of the Iewes are blinded Ergo. This first testimony is taken out of two places in Esay The first part out of Esay 29.10 The latter part which is an exposition of the spirit of slumber out of Esay 6.9 Vse 1. The authoritie of the scriptures the ground of truth Vse 2. Scripture the best interpreter of it selfe In this testimonie are two things First The Iudgment Secondly the Amplification The Iudgement forethreatned is Slumber If I vnderstand our owne tongue slumber is a kind of vnquiet sleepe either in the beginning or end of our rest when euery little thing will awake vs. This cannot bee the meaning but rather a heauy dead sleepe is heere vnderstood translated by Beza Sopor as death is called by the Poet Perpetuus Sopor the Hebrew word is translated by some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Horat. Aquila The sleep here meant may be likened to Adams when his rib was taken out Quest But is it a iudgement to be cast into such a sleepe Many desire it Answ Heere is not meant the sleep of the body but of the minde Blindnesse of minde and hardnesse is so called by a metaphore as if you would say a spirituall lethargie when neither the thundring noise of the Law nor the sweete sound of the Gospell can awake vs. The Greeke word vsed by Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Septuagint signifies another thing namely pricking and compunction as if a man had a naile or bodkin in his sides Now because Esayes word signifies dead â—leepe Beza translates Pauls word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though anciently and properly it hath beene translated Compunction as is partly expressed in the margine There is a word in Greeke very like this here vsed which signifies sleep being deriued from a roote that signifies Night But this word in no wise doth so signifie Saint Luke who well vnderstood the Greeke tongue vseth it for Compunction in the second of the Acts 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 2.37 The naturall meaning may well be retained Dead sleepe being called Compunction by a figure the effect for the cause because much or no Compunction can awake it or rather of the cause for the effect because Compunction is the cause of dead sleepe not in the body but in the minde There is a double Compunction of minde one comming from sorrow for sinne as that Act. 2.37 another comming from Enuie and Malice which was in the Iewes because the Gospell of Christ whom they crucified was preached and receiued in the world this was as a dagger at their hearts This Compunction of Enuie is heere meant which is the cause of such a deadnesse of mind that as a man in a dead sleep heares and vnderstands nothing so a mind possessed with Enuy is not patient to heare or conceiue any thing for its good Excesse of griefe brings a failing of the mind Now enuy is a gnawing of the heart against our neighbour When Stephen preached Act. 7. the Iewes gnash their teeth stoppe their eares their hearts being readie to burst for anger and rage And when Paul preaches at Antiochia Act. 13.48 the Iewes raile contradict and stirre vp persecution so that a man had as good speak to a wall or a dead man as vnto them Chrysostome expounds it as a nayling to their passion wherby they are vnmoueable in their perfidiousnesse Theodotian Some translate it Exstasie for enuy makes a man beside himselfe capable of no good instruction Cyprian calls it Transpunction Cypr. l. 1. ep 3. as a vessell hauing a hole striken thorow the bottome holds not the liquor put in it so whatsoeuer was preached to the Iewes their hearts so aked with enuy that they were vncapable of good counsaile and doctrine being as senselesse of all good things as if they were dead This Iudgement is amplified by foure Arguments 1. The Cause 2. The Effect 3. The Subiect 4. The Adiunct 1. The Cause is two-fold first Principal God the Author of this Compunction not as it is a sinne but as it is a iudgement secondly Instrumentall Satan therefore Paul saith The spirit of slumber not as God workes grace in his owne doth he worke this blindnesse in the reprobate but grace by himsefe blindnesse by Satan to whom concerning some Reprobate God speaketh as it were thus Satan is such a one so wretched that he enuies the Gospell and spets at it Take him to thee torment him for it harden him more that his condemnation may be the greater God is the Iudge Satan the tormentor by the spirit of slumber is also meant the forcible working of Satan vpon our corrupt nature as if a man being vpon the top of an hill and purposing to runne downe the Diuell should stand at his backe and push him forward 2. The Effect Eyes that they should not see c. Blindnesse of minde not to be capable of sauing knowledge is an effect of malice against the truth 3. The Subiect The Iewes a wise and learned people in the Law 4. The Adiunct To this Day which may be referred to the seuenth verse Hardened or blinded to this day it is all one the meaning not for euer but to this day The vaile vnto this day is layd ouer their hearts but it shall be taken away 2. Cor. 3.16 doctrine God in his iust iudgement giues ouer such as are enemies to the Gospell to the diuell to be blinded that they cannot conuert Ioh. 9.39 2. Cor. 4.3 Vse 1. Many in worldly things are wittie and of great apprehension and iudgement and yet as blinde as beetles very blocks in religion Eyes they haue see they doe they are no fooles yet they perceiue not the things belonging to their peace As Bats and Owles see best in the night so their chiefest vnderstanding is of worldly matters As a Moule within the ground is